Roger Jones

A neglected family and fledgling sporting goods business influenced Roger Jones' recent decision to resign as executive director of Kissimmee Rotary's Great Florida Shootout boys basketball tournament.A virtual godfather to the nationally renowned tournament for 11 of its 12 years, Jones said backing away from time-consuming duties ''coincides with personal obligations.''Jones, 43, and wife, Betty Ann, have six children, Kraig, Kevin, Kirk, Keith, Cami and Brock, ranging in age from 11 to 28 years old.Since 1982, Jones estimated he spent an untold number or hours 40 weeks a year attending to Shootout details.

KISSIMMEE — It was 4 Saturday morning. The final innings in the rain-delayed first and second rounds of the 19 t h annual Kissimmee Klassic were concluding. Players, game officials, tournament officials and fans were leaving the Osceola County Softball Complex to get some welcomed rest. Instead of going home, Osceola coach George Coffey and his son, Trey, dragged themselves to the softball field at Osceola High School to get that field ready to host a tournament game.

His specialty is coverage, so it seems only part of the plan that Tampa Bay cornerback Roger Jones goes about his job under such a cloak of obscurity.With Ricky Reynolds out of the lineup last Sunday - breaking his string of 50 consecutive starts at cornerback - and corner Milton Mack limited to two plays because of a re-aggravated groin injury, Jones had to step into a bigger role in the Bucs' secondary, and he didn't disappoint anybody.Jones came up with four solo tackles, one for a loss, recovered a fumble - his second recovery of the season - and contributed a fifth tackle on special teams.

Caesar Campana, who coached Edgewater's football team to three state playoff berths in the 1990s, has resigned to focus on family and teaching.Principal Mike Blasewitz cited Campana's accomplishments, including the fact more than 40 of his players went on to play college football.``During his time here,'' Blasewitz said, ``we built our stadium and boosters built the lockerroom. And something important to me, he pulled our athletic program out of the red and football is largely responsible for that.

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Jones, Orlando, announce the engagement of their daughter, Leslie Suzanne Banker-Jones, to Rick Sarmiento, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Sarmiento, Paramus, N.J. The wedding is April 4. The bride-elect graduated from Colonial High, Orlando. Her fiance graduated from Paramus High, Paramus.

Hats off to South Lake's Bobby Haeck for his work during the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships held at Walt Disney World's Oak Trail Golf Course.The championships proved a record-setting success with the help of Haeck - whose season was capped by the double signing last month of South Lake pole vaulters Brooks Weber and Dan Shaffer to the Florida State University track team - and other Central Florida coaches.They include Poinciana's Mal Harpell, Seminole's Scott Kasko and Winter Park's Mike Shewchuk.

Caesar Campana, who coached Edgewater's football team to three state playoff berths in the 1990s, has resigned to focus on family and teaching.Principal Mike Blasewitz cited Campana's accomplishments, including the fact more than 40 of his players went on to play college football.``During his time here,'' Blasewitz said, ``we built our stadium and boosters built the lockerroom. And something important to me, he pulled our athletic program out of the red and football is largely responsible for that.

Keith Jones does it for excitement, Brian Carter for the money. Both teen-agers say high-profile batboy jobs with the Osceola Astros, Houston's Class A Florida State League franchise, is hard work disguised as fun.The two Beaumont Middle School eighth graders are paid $5 each per game (another $5 for working in the visiting clubhouse and with umpires) for a job that can last as long as seven hours when the Osceola Astros are home at Osceola County Stadium.On a typical day, the boys report to the stadium at 4 p.m., clean up and pick up and wash towels in the visiting clubhouse, vacuum, take out trash, get both teams' equipment stored in the dugout, pick up bats and keep umpiries supplied with baseballs.

Questioned about the progress the Great Florida Shoot-Out has achieved since 1981, Roger Jones leaned back in his chair and smiled.''We've come a long way,'' said Jones, 40, who has been the tournament's executive chairman since volunteering for the job in 1982.The Shoot-Out features 16 high school basketball teams, including some of the nation's best from five states and Washington, D.C. Money raised by the competition goes into scholarships for Osceola County students.Osceola High School basketball Coach Ed Kershner dressed up the first pre-holiday tournament in 1981 with eight teams, a shoestring budget and few sponsors.

Hats off to South Lake's Bobby Haeck for his work during the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships held at Walt Disney World's Oak Trail Golf Course.The championships proved a record-setting success with the help of Haeck - whose season was capped by the double signing last month of South Lake pole vaulters Brooks Weber and Dan Shaffer to the Florida State University track team - and other Central Florida coaches.They include Poinciana's Mal Harpell, Seminole's Scott Kasko and Winter Park's Mike Shewchuk.

Retrieving baseball bats and chasing foul balls isn't very glamorous, but it's a Jones family tradition.All but one of Betty and Roger Jones' six children have picked up after minor-leaguers since 1985 when Houston moved its franchise from Daytona Beach to Osceola County Stadium.Kevin, 26, Kirk, 24, and Keith, 22, monopolized the duty for years, passing it from brother to brother like outgrown jeans.This year, their youngest sibling, Brock, 13, shares the assignment with sister Cami, 16, the first female to suit up for the Osceola Astros.

Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Floyd Peters will have 17 defensive backs auditioning for work when the Bucs' training camp begins Sunday. It's a hectic task to view and evaluate so many players, yet he really doesn't mind having to sort and sift his way through such a muddled picture.Peters realizes tough competition will push the players harder than he ever could. And in an unusual twist, players won't only get to compete for jobs this summer, they'll make all the decisions on cuts, too.In theory, at least.

His specialty is coverage, so it seems only part of the plan that Tampa Bay cornerback Roger Jones goes about his job under such a cloak of obscurity.With Ricky Reynolds out of the lineup last Sunday - breaking his string of 50 consecutive starts at cornerback - and corner Milton Mack limited to two plays because of a re-aggravated groin injury, Jones had to step into a bigger role in the Bucs' secondary, and he didn't disappoint anybody.Jones came up with four solo tackles, one for a loss, recovered a fumble - his second recovery of the season - and contributed a fifth tackle on special teams.

Jones, a deputy undersecretary of state in the Kennedy administration, died of Parkinson's disease Friday at age 85 in Torrington, Conn. Jones worked for seven administrations, beginning in 1933 under Franklin D. Roosevelt and retiring in 1975 during the Ford administration.

MR. JONES, 03896-642 Picciola Road, Fruitland Park, died Monday, March 1. He was retired from the New York Telephone Company. Born in Old Forge, N.Y., he moved to Central Florida in 1978. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Leesburg and served as a deacon. He was a member of the Pioneer Club of America. He was an Army veteran of World War II. Survivors: wife, Marian; daughters, Glenys Curran, Apalalchin, N.Y. Page-Theus-Blanchard Funeral Home, Leesburg.

Retrieving baseball bats and chasing foul balls isn't very glamorous, but it's a Jones family tradition.All but one of Betty and Roger Jones' six children have picked up after minor-leaguers since 1985 when Houston moved its franchise from Daytona Beach to Osceola County Stadium.Kevin, 26, Kirk, 24, and Keith, 22, monopolized the duty for years, passing it from brother to brother like outgrown jeans.This year, their youngest sibling, Brock, 13, shares the assignment with sister Cami, 16, the first female to suit up for the Osceola Astros.

Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Floyd Peters will have 17 defensive backs auditioning for work when the Bucs' training camp begins Sunday. It's a hectic task to view and evaluate so many players, yet he really doesn't mind having to sort and sift his way through such a muddled picture.Peters realizes tough competition will push the players harder than he ever could. And in an unusual twist, players won't only get to compete for jobs this summer, they'll make all the decisions on cuts, too.In theory, at least.

A neglected family and fledgling sporting goods business influenced Roger Jones' recent decision to resign as executive director of Kissimmee Rotary's Great Florida Shootout boys basketball tournament.A virtual godfather to the nationally renowned tournament for 11 of its 12 years, Jones said backing away from time-consuming duties ''coincides with personal obligations.''Jones, 43, and wife, Betty Ann, have six children, Kraig, Kevin, Kirk, Keith, Cami and Brock, ranging in age from 11 to 28 years old.Since 1982, Jones estimated he spent an untold number or hours 40 weeks a year attending to Shootout details.

Questioned about the progress the Great Florida Shoot-Out has achieved since 1981, Roger Jones leaned back in his chair and smiled.''We've come a long way,'' said Jones, 40, who has been the tournament's executive chairman since volunteering for the job in 1982.The Shoot-Out features 16 high school basketball teams, including some of the nation's best from five states and Washington, D.C. Money raised by the competition goes into scholarships for Osceola County students.Osceola High School basketball Coach Ed Kershner dressed up the first pre-holiday tournament in 1981 with eight teams, a shoestring budget and few sponsors.